All Posts by Sally Gutteridge

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Becoming the Pack Leader

By Sally Gutteridge | Behavior , Posts , Training

In nature, puppies have a so-called “puppy license” for the first 4 or 5 months. During this time, older dogs will let them get away with all sorts of puppy behavior without retaliation. If the older dog doesn’t feel like playing with the pup, then he will often just get up and move away, or else give a quick verbal signal that he isn’t interested. Only once this “puppy license” has expired do the pups start getting real lessons in manners from the other dogs.

During her seminars, Patricia McConnell often shows two videos of Bailey, a beautiful golden retriever pup. In the first video, Bailey is perhaps 4 months old, and is chewing on a child’s stuffed toy. The woman owner tries to get the toy away from the dog by using outdated “dominance” techniques such as grabbing the puppy by the scruff of the neck and trying to make it submit to her. Retrievers are mouthy dogs and by their nature love to chew on stuff. So can anyone guess what happens after a month or two of such “training”?

In the second video, Bailey is around 6 months old. Again the dog is chewing on a toy, except that now he’s quite a bit larger. He snarls as the owner tries to get the toy away, and snaps at her hand. The owner is still faithfully following her trainer’s orders and trying to get the dog to submit to her authority. So what happens next?

Bailey was put down before he reached one year of age.

It didn’t have to happen! The dog wasn’t aggressive by nature, but simply ruined by bad training and horrible conditioning. Unfortunately, some trainers today still rely on outdated and now proven false research going back to the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s.

In her 12-page pamphlet “How to Be the Pack Leader“, Patricia McConnell states in the introduction:

“Dogs need to feel secure to be truly happy; that means they need to feel secure that you will be the pack leader, and that they can count on you to take charge. But being the pack leader is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean that you forcibly dominate your dog. Rather, leadership is more of a mental quality in which you set boundaries without intimidation.”

The pack leader isn’t always the strongest. Many of you have perhaps seen and wondered how a household with several dogs, sometimes the bigger dogs will acknowledge a smaller and physically weaker dog as the pack leader? Surely that alone is enough to debunk the old-fashioned myths about the biggest bully always becoming the pack leader?

So, how do we dog owners become the pack leaders? Well, it isn’t so much a matter of forcing ourselves into the position as getting our dogs to accept us as such. Sounds much tougher than just pinning a dog to the floor in an alpha roll, doesn’t it? Well, yes, it requires a bit more work, and a bit more thought, and a bit more effort.

During his presentation, Anders Hallgren put up a slide with common training advice that soon had us all nodding our heads in recognition. I’m sure you’ve heard them all, too. Perhaps you’ve even been faithfully following them as an integral part of your training routine…

  • Don’t let the dog walk first out through the door.
  • Don’t let the dog eat its meal before you eat yours.
  • Don’t let the dog be positioned higher up than you (physically, like you on the floor and the dog up on the couch).
  • Don’t let the dog be in the bed or on the sofa.
  • The dog should pee only to empty the bladder (don’t let the dog mark when taking a walk).
  • Punish severely all protests, like growling and the like.
  • Always be sure to win tug of war and other games you play with the dog.
  • Don’t greet the dog when coming home.

These rules are misconceptions and have very little to do with pack leadership. Some, however, do have value in terms of dealing with other possible problems, such as separation anxiety (greeting) or the danger of letting dogs run out of the house into the street (not going first through doors). In terms of leadership, however, none of these rules will help you gain the top role. Pack leaders have a special role in the group and do special tasks. Anders Hallgren summarizes these as:

  • Initiates moving from the location.
  • Leads the group to special places, like hunting grounds.
  • Chooses prey.
  • Initiates the hunt.
  • Directs during the chase.
  • Calls off the hunt.
  • Seldom initiates social activities, but does not turn away.
  • Often is the subject of affection.
  • Finds places to rest, and lies down, thereby making the group relax, too.

What we dog owners should do is perform activities that mimic true leaders in the wild:

  • Take goal directed walks that lead to interesting places.
  • Choose types of activities (courses, mental training, etc).
  • Give the dog a starting signal.
  • Tell the dog in which order the activities shall be.
  • Call off the activities.
  • Let the dog greet, but don’t initiate the greeting very often.
  • Always respond with affection when the dog makes contact.
  • Rest at certain times and thereby get the dog to relax, too.

To summarize, becoming a pack leader in your dog’s eyes will require active involvement and daily training. Are you up for it?

Preventing Dog Food Aggression

By Sally Gutteridge | Behavior , Posts

dog_food-aggressionDogs have learned throughout their many years of existence that they must protect their resources, such as food, in order to survive. They’ve learned that they could easily keep other dogs from eating their food by growling, showing teethes, snapping or even biting other dogs that came too close to their food.

But dogs live a very different lifestyle since we’ve started to domesticate them. Some of their ingrained behaviors are not acceptable when living with people, such as dog food aggression. This could be very dangerous, especially when the dog begins to protect his food from his owner, or anyone who comes close to him.

Some dog owners have the tendency of leaving unlimited amounts of food available for their dog. The dog can then eat whenever it wants, as much as it wants and is subject to no rules. There are a few reasons why I advise against doing this, mainly because the dog does not understand that you are the provider of the food, but also because it usually leads to the dog over-eating and becoming overweight.

To prevent dog food aggression, it is always a good idea to give your dog measured meals and at regular intervals. If you look on the back of your dog food’s packaging, you will find a chart that indicates how much food your dog should eat, relative to his weight. You should also give your dog more food than the maximum amount indicated if he is a very active dog. When feeding your dog, place his food bowl down, and give him a maximum of thirty minutes to eat, and then pick up the bowl and any remaining food.

If your dog has already bitten someone while defending his food bowl, then you should immediately contact a reputable dog trainer or behaviorist. They will be able to access your dog’s behavior and to determine the safest way to proceed with his training.

Training your dog to not guard his food bowl is best done while he is still a puppy. However adults and older dogs can also be trained, it will just take a little bit more time and dedication.

The best way to get your dog to accept people around his food bowl is to teach him that wonderful things will happen when people are nearby when he is eating. Please follow the following instructions carefully, while making sure that your dog is comfortable with each step before moving onto the next.

  1. Give your dog half of his usual meal, when he finishes, pick up the empty bowl and add the second half, then give it back.
  2. Randomly walk up to your dog while he is eating and drop in super delicious dog treats in his food bowl.
  3. Walk up to your dog while talking calmly, and stoke and pet him lightly. Then drop in a super delicious dog treat into his food bowl.
  4. Take away your dog’s food bowl before he is finished, add some super delicious treats and give it back.

Dog food aggression is one of the most dangerous and most common problematic behaviors encountered. Small children are especially at risk around food possessive dogs. If your dog training efforts do not work or show progress, please call a reputable dog trainer or behaviorist as soon as possible.

A Closer Look At The Mini Husky

By Sally Gutteridge | Breeds , Posts

The Mini Husky has emerged on the scene in recent years as a smaller companion sized version of the Siberian husky. The Mini Husky has been well received by dog owners as a more feasible alternative to their standard sized counterparts. However the debut of this diminutive little dog has not been without controversy.

The biggest topic of discussion surrounding the Mini Husky is their very existence. Some people believe that there is no such thing as a Mini Husky and that a smaller sized Siberian Husky shouldn’t be classified on its own as a Mini Husky.

My research has determined that a Mini Husky is not a new and separate breed. They are instead a smaller version of its standard sized counterpart the Siberian husky. Temperament, health, and looks all remain the same while only the weight and height is different. Some Mini Husky enthusiasts state that by decreasing the size of the Siberian Husky, the dog’s lifespan is increased and incidents of hip dysplasia decreases. This could make the Mini Husky a more suitable companion for families living in smaller quarters or families that must abide by weight limits enforced by homeowners or condo associations.

Mini Husky owners that have owned the standard sized dogs previously have found that with the decreased size of the dogs they have less problems with separation anxiety simply due to the fact that the dog is more easily transported and remains with the family instead of staying at home. Mini Husky owners have also noticed that since the dogs are shorter they are not able to scale their fences and there have been less issues with dogs escaping. Like all huskies the Mini Husky does possess the affinity for running but would probably not be suitable for pulling sleds.

Due to the lovely temperament of Siberian Huskies, they are usually easily rehomed if an owner is no longer able to care for the dog. Most Mini Husky breeders will accept a dog that they’ve bred back into their homes at any point in their lives. The group maintains a huge waiting list of individuals who desire an adult dog rather than a puppy.

The Mini Husky was originally developed by Bree Normandin in the late 1990s. The dogs weren’t made publicly available until December of 2004 when for the very first time a puppy was placed with a new owner via the internet.

The Mini Husky is still very rare with only a handful of authorized breeders involved with the dog’s continued development. Breeders are reporting having to utilize a waiting list because the demand for the dogs exceeds the current supply.

Feeding a Dog Raw Food

By Sally Gutteridge | Food & Treats , Posts

dog-raw-foodDogs have been living a healthy life with humans for thousands of years. (Vilmos Csanyi, in his book “If Dogs Could Talk” 1, says the oldest dog skeletons found are about 14,000 years old.) Yet in this twenty-first century, dog owners face a barrage of advertising, aimed at convincing us to buy commercial dog food.

Much of this advertising suggests that feeding a dog raw food is a highly complicated process, best left to the “experts”, those who package so-called “complete” foods. If feeding dogs is so difficult, how did humans manage so successfully in the past? Perhaps the same way they fed themselves and their children – through the use of common sense and an understanding of the needs of their dogs.

Tom Lonsdale, Australian veterinarian and author of “Work wonders; Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones” 2, says, “Definitely, without doubt, the best food for pets is that eaten by their wild cousins…In the wild it’s a case of survival of the healthiest. There are no veterinary hospitals or animal dentists in the wilderness… a natural diet provides the ideal ‘fuel’. It cleans the carnivores’ teeth and keeps the animals in peak fitness and health…a raw, natural diet acts as food and medicine combined.”

Some of the carcasses suggested by Tom Lonsdale include rats, mice, rabbits, fish, chicken/hens, or, for large dogs, calves, goats, lambs, pigs. Raw meaty bones include chicken and turkey back and frames, whole fish and fish heads, larger carcasses cut into manageable parts, by-products such as pigs’ trotters and heads, sheep heads, or tail bones. He lists offal such as liver, lungs, trachea, hearts, tripe, tongues, amongst others.

He acknowledges that finding whole carcasses, complete with fur, feathers, fins and entrails, may be too much for the average pet owner to manage, but concludes, “The second best and practical option — raw meaty bones and a few table scraps — is easy, economical and efficient and will have your pet living a long and healthy life.”

“Raw meaty bones” doesn’t mean a bone that has had the meat removed. It means a bone within a covering of nutritious meat. Gnawing, tearing and ripping the meat, tossing the meal from side to side in the mouth, before consuming the bone itself, gets the dog’s stomach juices pumping and cleans the dog’s teeth.

As Dr. Sasha Herbert says in her book, “nibble munch chomp” 3, carnivores “don’t just stick to the muscle meat. If they did, they would be lacking all sorts of important minerals, vitamins, fiber and fats.” So if we decide to feed raw, we need to include a range of animal parts, including organ meat and bones.

If you are interested in finding out more about dog raw food, you might like to browse the information on TomLonsdale’s raw meaty bones site or join the Yahoo! Raw Feeding interest group, where you will find helpful guidance from those who have already switched their pets to this diet.

The next question you need to consider is whether to include plant matter. Dr Ian Billinghurst, author of “Give your dog a bone: a practical commonsense way to feed dogs for a long healthy life” 4, argues that wild dogs and wolves would eat some vegetable matter, perhaps as the partially digested stomach contents of prey. For information on this aspect of feeding you could visit his site, Barf World. (BARF has been variously described as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, Biologically Appropriate Real Food or Bones and Raw Food).

Although there is disagreement in the world of dog raw food on whether to include vegetable matter or supplements, both sides of the debate are convinced that dogs do not need to eat grains – a major component of commercial dried foods.

Dr Billinghurst says, “Modern dogs of any breed are not only capable of eating the food of their wild ancestors, but actually require it for maximum health. This is because their basic physiology has changed very little with domestication.” 5

It’s not rocket science. With some research and some commonsense we can feed our dog raw food and an appropriate healthy diet.

References:
1 Vilmos Csanyi, If Dogs Could Talk, translation by Richard E Quandt. 2005, North Point Press, NY, US.
2 Tom Lonsdale, Work wonders; Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones. 2005, Rivetco P/L, NSW, Australia.
3 Sasha Herbert, nibble munch chomp: The art and science of feeding your pet.2007, JoJo Publishing in conjunction with Lort Smith Animal Hospital, North Melbourne, Australia.
4 Ian Billinghurst, Give your dog a bone: practical commonsense way to feed dogs for a long healthy life. 1993, Warrigal, Australia.
5 Ian Billinghurst, BARF World: What is BARF?

10 Dog Christmas Tips to Celebrate the Holidays!

By Sally Gutteridge | Posts , Tips

Christmas can be a very hectic time for everyone as we are all busy during the holiday season with decorating, shopping, food preparation and hosting guests. But this time can also be stressful for our dog if he isn’t prepared to deal with the sudden changes during Christmas.

In this article, I will give you 10 tips that you should do in preparation for a happy dog Christmas.

1. If you are going to have guests over to your home at Christmas Day, it is important to give your dog plenty of exercise before your guests arrive. Take your dog for a long walk an hour or two before your guests begin to arrive. This will relief lots of excess energy I will make your dog calmer and more enjoyable for your guests.

2. If you are going to let your guests give your dog a treat, then it is important to tell them that they must sit your dog before giving him the treat. If your dog can perform tricks, then it is a great opportunity to showcase his skills and at the same time be very entertaining. Getting your dog to obey before giving him the treat will reinforce the hierarchy with your guests.

3. I recommend that you give your dog his meal / dinner before you begin your serving your guests their dinner. The reason is that if your dog is fully satisfied then he is less likely to bother your guests. You may want to give your dog a special dinner to make sure that he eats it completely. Perhaps a mix of dry kibble with a can of wet dog food would persuade him to eat it all and would give him a great dog Christmas present.

4. Tell your guests to never give your dog any table scraps. Although this seems like a no-brainer you would be surprised on the amount of people that would drop something and wouldn’t think there is any problems letting your dog eat it.

5. Depending on how many guests you are expecting at Christmas, it may be favorable to ask one of your family members to entertain your dog in another room until all your guests have arrived. I wouldn’t recommend locking up your dog if he isn’t used to it, but strangers walking in to your home may be a little overwhelming to your dog.

6. If you are going to unwrap presents then I recommend that you do not let your dog play with any of the wrapping paper. That is because it could potentially cut them while they play with it or they could eat it which may cause digestion problems. The last thing that you want to do on Christmas is having to go to an emergency pet hospital because your dog ate something he wasn’t supposed to.

7. Give your dog something to do while your guests are in your home. You can take a Kong and stuff it with peanut butter or pieces of cheese and it will take him a while to get all of the goodies out. There are also those new “intelligent” dog toys that require dogs to solve puzzles before they can get to the treat. I don’t know the specific name of these toys but I’m sure if you Google it that you will find what you are looking for. Perhaps you could purchase this “intelligent” toy ahead of time which would be a great dog Christmas present!

8. If there are children coming to your home make sure that you tell them not to chase the dog. A dog will bite a child if he feels threatened or afraid, especially if a child is chasing him. It is important to supervise children and to make sure that they are treating your dog properly.

9. Prepare a quiet room or move your dog’s crate into a quiet room so that if your guests are too loud for your dog, then he will have a quiet environment to go to.

10. If your dog loves to play then make sure that you instruct your guests on how to play nicely with your dog. Sometimes guests have a little alcohol in their system and they can get carried away by throwing toys too high or down stairs which could potentially injure your dog.

To have a merry dog Christmas, all that is needed is a little common sense and some planning ahead of time. If you have any more tips, please leave a comment below…

Choosing the Right Dog Training Classes

By Sally Gutteridge | Posts , Training

dog-training-classesAre you looking for dog training classes? Before you spend a dime I encourage you to read more about the different dog training classes available today. Choosing a dog training class is a very important decision that will affect your relationship with your dog. It is important to research your possible options before signing up to any dog training classes.

There are three major aspects that you must consider when choosing dog training classes.

1. Training Method

There is a variety of dog training techniques that are being taught around the world. It is important to know which techniques you will be learning and applying with your dog before signing up to any dog training classes. Usually, the company or school will have information on their website about how they train their dogs.

Some dog trainers emphasize on being a strong pack leader and being the alpha in the household. This modern training has been around for the last century and will work with most dogs. But in some cases, these training techniques may involve punishing your dog when he does something wrong.

If you are not comfortable punishing your dog or if you are looking for a more humane way of training your dog then you will want to look for “reinforcement training” or “clicker training” on the prospect company or school website. These training techniques involve using positive reinforcements like treats, toys and praise to reward specific behaviors that you like.

2. Credibility

The second most important aspect to look for is to see whether or not the trainers actually achieved the results that they are promoting. If they say that you can train your dog to do all of the obedience training in eight weeks, make sure that you look at their credentials and see if they have officially won any obedience titles or have achieved credible certification. If you do not see this information on their website then you should ask them over the phone.

Another key element that will tell you if their dog training classes are good is by what their former students say about their experience. Usually a dog training company or school will have testimonials on their website. Read them all and see if anybody has had similar problems with their dog as you and if they were able to successfully resolve them.

3. Cost

Although the cost is an important aspect of choosing the right dog training classes, it is not necessarily an indicator of how good the company or school is. The best way to find out if a prospect company or school is worth your investment is to call them and to ask them questions.

Great dog trainers will always try to help you over the phone even if you haven’t yet signed up to their dog training classes. That is because the goal is to help you train your dog and not to get you to sign up to the class.

Once you find a company or school that you feel comfortable with, make sure that you stay within your budget. Usually dog training classes begin with one puppy class and will have several grades of obedience training. It is important that you calculate the cost of each dog training class ahead of time to make sure that you can afford it.

Overall, the decision on choosing the right dog training classes is totally up to you. If something doesn’t feel right about a trainer, then trust your intuition and keep looking. If you try a class and you don’t like it, ask for a refund. Most companies will honor a refund request if it is requested after the first class.

A Comprehensive History of Dog Training

By Sally Gutteridge | Posts , Training

Dog training has evolved through the centuries and will continue to evolve in the future as we continue to refine and develop new training techniques. Positive reinforcement based training was something unheard of 50 years ago, and now in 2011 it is a training technique used by all major dog training centers around the world.

Let’s explore the history of dog training…

Hunting Training
The earliest dog training involved teaching dogs to assist in hunting. The hunters needed help when they went hunting and a dog could assist them in finding and retrieving their prey. There is nothing quite like hunting near a lake and getting your dog to swim in near freezing temperature just to retrieve a prize. This help the hunters tremendously and many hunting breeds like the Spaniels, Terriers, Pointers and Retrievers are still employed today.

Military Training
When World War I began dogs were often used in combat for various purposes. The military needed dogs to be trained quickly so they would train many dogs at the same time. Some of the dogs were trained as guard dogs and others were trained to detect mines and explosives.

The early military dog training techniques were ones of constant correction. The dog would be physically punished for not obeying the trainer’s commands. The punitive system went in to include collars with shocking systems. The idea of dominating the dog and becoming the Alpha and the pack was born and quickly spread all over the world after the war.

Modern Dog Training
After World War I it was considered normal to punish the dog for any misdeeds committed by the dog. Punishment equipment was invented like the prong and choke collars. The idea was that if a behavior is punished then the dog would learn to never do it again.

For example, training a dog to walk loosely on a leash was done by punishing the dog any time he pulled on the leash or walked out of line.

Fortunately, in 2011 we have evolved from these dog training techniques and are now getting the dog to do what we want on his own by means of positive reinforcements.

Assistance Dogs
Dogs have been shown to be terrific assets to those with visual or auditory impairments as well as those with limited mobility. These dogs must be highly trained as well as companionable. In addition, they are carefully selected as they must have the right physical ability and temperament. They then are put through an intense training that is reward based (positive reinforcements).

These dogs are trained to ignore distractions and to take direction. They are taught to lead or communicate and follow commands. It is imperative that these animals be thoroughly trained as any mishaps can endanger the lives of the owner. Most assistance dogs are trained by professionals and then introduced to their owner or trained alongside their owner.

Police and Drug Dogs
Drug, Search and Rescue, or Bomb Squad dogs are highly trained in tracking and alerting skills. Police and protection dogs are trained in controlled aggression. Each animal is highly skilled in their respective field and are not interchangeable in other areas. Dogs trained in tracking abilities are less likely to be trained using heavy handed techniques, while police and protection dogs are.

Medical Dogs
The latest dog training is taking place in the medical field. Dogs are being trained to use their highly sensitive noses and sniff out medical conditions, such as cancer. So far studies on the subject are limited but they show promise and could potentially lead to saving human lives  through early detection.

Dog Sports
Popular dog sports include Flyball and Agility. Flyball is a relay race with four dogs, and Agility is an obstacle course set up for a single dog to run while being coaxed by his owner. Training to run these sports is almost always based on positive reinforcement. Practice and consistency are also very important.

Family Pets
While much of modern training still involves punitive systems, positive reward based systems can be more effective and easier on everyone. Tricks and basic commands can all be taught gently and easily using positive reinforcement methods. The sheer number of methods and options we have today are indicative of how much joy and help they can bring into our lives. They also show our dedication to finding more humane and loving dog training techniques to train our dogs.

Golden Retrievers … The Perfect Family Dogs!

By Sally Gutteridge | Breeds , Posts

So, you are looking for a Golden Retriever? I’ve written some important facts about Golden Retrievers that you should read to get a better understanding about this great family dog.

Golden Retrievers make excellent family dogs. They are very easy to train and have a willingness to please their owner, so if you are planning on bringing your Goldie to obedience school, be prepared to be in the top of your class.

Golden Retrievers love to play with his owner and especially loves to fetch. Since they are natural retrievers, it is a breeze to get them to retrieve almost anything. This makes it extremely easy to give Golden Retrievers exercise, since you can simply go to the park and throw the ball a dozen of time.

When choosing a Golden Retriever, especially a young puppy, the color of their coat will change over time and will usually darken once they become adults. A trick is to look at the color of the ears and it should give an approximation of the adult coat color.

Golden Retrievers are big dogs and need quite a bit of activity to stay healthy. They are great for bringing anywhere you go. You can bring them camping, hiking, biking, swimming, etc. And since they are one of the lowest barking breeds, they are excellent for bringing to work with you (if your boss allows it).

If you choose to get a Golden Retriever, you will need to groom him regularly. Their coat requires a lot of attention so that knots are taken out before they become problematic. You will need to set aside at least an hour per week just on grooming requirements.

One of the most important decisions to make when getting a Golden Retriever is where you will get him from. It is very important to research the line from which Golden Retrievers come from and to make sure that there is no history of aggressive behavior or biting.

Golden Retrievers are not guard dogs by any means. They are very friendly to strangers, kids, and anyone that they meet. So if you want a dog to warn you or to protect you from robbers then you may want to look into getting another breed.

If you choose to get a Golden Retriever puppy, it is important that you start the obedience training as soon as possible. Since they are eager to learn anyways, the training will be fun for the both of you and it will save you headaches down the road.

To summarize, Golden Retrievers make one of the best family dogs ever. But you must be prepared to have a large dog in your house and to give him an hour or more a day for mental stimulation and physical activity.

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